Dental articulator



June 12, 1951 E. B. WIMBERLY 2,556,639

DENTAL ARTICULATOR Filed March 9, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

WW 13m E Iver B. Wimber/y Patented June 12, 951 :1

OFFICE Application March 9, 1950, Serial l \To. 1 48,590

Claims.

Thisinvention comprises novel and useful improvements in anatomicalarticulators. and has for its primary object to provide asingle jointfor the upper and lower jaw members which will reproduce the condyloidmovement of the mandiblerelative tothe maxilla and which is of simpleconstruction, yet durable and highly eificient for the purposesintended.

An important feature of this invention resides in the provision forcooperating springs which are attached to one jaw and which engage andretain a rolled portion of the other jaw in such a manner as to permitpivotal movement in a vertical plane; lateral or sidewise. displacementof one jaw relative to the other; and relative longitudinal rectilinearmotion of the jaws to simulate the centric movement of the mandible.

A further feature of this invention resides in the provision for adetachably mounted jaw spacing pin which can be selectively positionedin front of, or to the rear of the trial plates which are mounted in thejaws of the articulator so as to enhance the view thereof during theprocess of setting up of the teeth.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features are attainedby this device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated byway of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the articulator to which thetrial plates are attached;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the articulator;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the articulator;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantiallyon the plane 44 of Figure 2.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings whereinlike numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, itwill be readily seen that the articulator consists of upper and lowerjaw members [0 and I2, respectively, which members are bent as at l4 andIE to form the upper and lower hinge plates l8 and 20, respectively.

One of the hinge plates, such as the upper hinge plate I8 has attachedthereto, or formed as part of the lower unsecured edge, a cylindricalsleeve 22. For reasons which will later become apparent as the followingdescription proceeds, this sleeve is preferably located centrallyrelative to the longitudinal axis of the upper jaw member 10.

A resilient member indicated generally by the numeral 24 is secured tothe external surface of the lower hinge plate 20 as by fasteners 26which may consist of ;.boltsor rivets or the like. The upper end of theresilient member extends transversely over the upper edge 28 0f the.lower hinge plate 2|], and terminates in an arcuatelyshaped portion 30.-A cooperating spring member 32 is similarly attached tothe externalsurface of the lower hinge plate 20 as by the fasteners 26, and isprovided with a detent 34 which engages and retains the cylindricalsleeve 22 into engagement with the arcuate portion 30 of the resilientmember 24. In order to yieldingly urge the upper jaw member l0 to itsclosed position, the spring member 32 may be extended beyond the detent34 to provide a finger 36 which engages the rear portion of the upperjaw member ID. The spring is curved rearwardly as at 38 to permitpivotal movement of the upper plate l8 as the upper jaw member I0 iselevated relative to the lower jaw member l2.

Bushings 40 and 42 are secured to the lower plate 20 and are sopositioned thereon as to lie loosely in endwise axial alignment with thesleeve 22 when the latter is retained by the curved extremity 30 of theresilient member 24. A hinge pin 44 having a head 46 thereon isselectively receivable in the bushings and sleeve to thereby limitrelative movement of the jaw members to pivotal movement in a verticalplane.

Longitudinally extending slots 48 and 50 are formed in the forward andrear portions, re-

spectively, of the upper jaw member ID. A spacing pin 52 having aconical point 54 at its lower end and a screw threaded extremity 56 atits upper end is selectively receivable in either of said slots and isdetachably locked thereto as by lock nut 58 and wing nut 60 which arepositioned on opposite sides of the upper jaw member III.

In operation, the hinge pin 44 is inserted in the sleeve 22 and bushings40 and 42 to prevent lateral or longitudinal displacement thereof, andthe spacing pin is positioned in the forward slot 48, to retain the jawsin proper spaced relation. The dentures are then amxed to the upper andlower .jaw members In and I2, respectively, by means of a cementitiousmaterial. The pin 44 can then be removed and the jaw members shiftedvertically, laterally and longitudinally as shown in the phantom linesin Figures 2 and 4, relative to each other inorder to reproduce thecondyloid movement of the lower jaw, so that the bite may be readilycorrected.

From the foregoing it i thought the operation and construction of thedevice will be readily understood, and further discussion is believedunnecessary. However, since. numerous modifications will readily occurto those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoingspecification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit theinvention to that shown and described, but all suitable modificationsmay be resorted to falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A dental articulator comprising vertically spaced upper and lower jawsupportin members having hinge plates angularly attached thereto, acylindrical member attached to said upper hinge plate, a resilientmember attached to said lower hinge plate and having an arcuately shapedextremity which partially embraces said cylindrical member, a springmember attached to said lower hinge plate and yieldingly engaging saidupper hinge plate to urge said cylindrical member into engagement withsaid arcuately shaped extremity and slidably engaging said upper jawsupporting 25 member to retain the latter in engagement with said lowerjaw supporting member.

3. The combination of claim 1, including means detachably secured to oneof said jaw supporting I members to limit closing movement of saidarticulator.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said last mentioned meansincludes a sleeve on said lower hinge plate axially endwise aligned withand loosely engaging said cylindrical member, said cylindrical memberhaving a bore therein, a hinge pin selectively receivable in said sleeveand said bore to prevent lost motion between said hinge plates.

5. The combination of claim 1, including longitudinally extending slotsin the forward and rear portions of one of said jaw supporting members,a jaw separating pin selectively and adjustably receivable ineither ofsaid slots.

ELVER B. WIMBERLY.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Neustadt May 19, 1942Number

